REGIONAL BUDGET 12/27/07

GateHouse News Service Regional Budget (12/27/07)
Here are the top Illinois stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at www.gatehousenewsservice.com
*Please check this Web site in the evening for changes to story lineup, including breaking news.
Contacts:
Regional Editor Jonie Larson, (217) 816-3343, jlarson@gatehousemedia.com
National Editor Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com

News

BILLY CLUBS. After someone tried to enter a courthouse with a billy club, a state lawmaker has introduced legislation that would make it illegal to carry one in a public place, like a courthouse. COLINDRES/CAPITOL BUREAU/this evening/Illinois and Illinois News

UNSELFISH PAYBACK: After her mother died, Elizabeth sold some of her possessions to a local curio shop. What she didn't know is that stashed away in one of the boxes she sold was $4,600 in $100 bills. Elizabeth never knew about the money until Treasure's Galore called her and told her they had the cash for her. ROCKFORD/Illinois News

AFTERXMAS RETURNS: Standing in line to return Christmas gifts is becoming a less frequent holiday tradition, according to retailers. As the popularity of gift cards rises, fewer shoppers are showing up the day after Christmas to exchange that ill-advised sweater, toaster oven or cheese log for what they really want. In fact, the National Retail Federation surveyed shoppers and found that 64.3 percent didn’t return anything last holiday season, up from 62.4 percent in 2005.

ILLINI MANIA: Not only is it the post-holiday rush, the Illini are going to the Rose Bowl, which is proving to be a big boon for local retailers/travel agencies. A special charter flight has even been organized from the Springfield airport. Reynolds SPRINGFIELD/Illinois News

CSI and SCRUBS: Alexandra Dewey has the kind of job young girls dream of: She gets paid to shop. This Roscoe native is a Hollywood girl now, a costumer for the sitcom “Scrubs.” While the television show has numerous costumers – those who design the clothes and those who dress the actors – Dewey is the one who gets to hit the mall in search of that perfect outfit. ROCKFORD/Illinois News

STATE BRIEFS – A collection of briefs from GateHouse newspapers across the state. Posted by 6 p.m./Illinois and Illinois News.

SMOKING — CITY ORDINANCES: (w/logo) A look at what type of ordinances the city of Peoria might have to address when it comes to outdoor eateries, beer gardens, etc. and whether surrounding communities like Pekin, Morton and Washington are seeing similar requests. (15 inches) JOHN SHARP/PEORIA

SMOKING — SMALL TOWNS: A look at how smaller municipalities plan to handle this change. It could be tough in towns with part-time city hall hours and one-man police departments. (12 inches) JORDAN WILSON/PEORIA

DEVASTATING FIRE: (w/pic) A South Peoria mother is at the burn unit in Springfield after trying to rescue her baby from a bedroom after a fire swept through the house about 1 a.m. The blaze sent a total of six people to the hospital, though many reportedly suffered only smoke inhalation. The mother, the infant – who was later rescued by firefighters – and a 9-year-old girl suffered the most serious injuries. We’re working on getting their names and conditions. The house is a total loss, firefighters say. Efforting comments from family; neighbors. (merits; by 5 p.m.) LESLIE FARK/PEORIA

FIRE FIGHT: Firefighters from nearly a dozen departments responded to a huge fire that destroyed the former Breeze-Illinois property in Wyoming late Christmas Eve. (merits) GARY SMITH/PEORIA

SECRET LOGS: The Bush White House isn't exactly renowned for its transparency. (After all, the vice president says he keeps a man-sized vault in his office to store 'workaday' business.) But the administration's fierce furtiveness recently came under fire from a federal judge, who ruled that White House visitor logs can't be squirreled away as private documents. PEORIA

MONTEREY SHUTDOWN: Looks like the issue of using non-union administrative staff to run the mine may be a moot point as it appears the operations will likely shut down by the end of the year as expected. DEBRA LANDIS/SPRINGFIELD
W/blago and the prez: The governor sends letter to President Bush urging him to make sure FutureGen stays on track, despite Energy Department reservations. DEBRA LANDIS/SPRINGFIELD

Sports

NADEL: Mike's Mailbag. COLUMN/Mike Nadel

MIXING BOWL: While the Illini heard questions about their recruiting tactics, coach
Ron Zook's mixed talent left behind from former coach Ron Turner's tenure and Zook's
classes filled with playmakers to build a winner as Illinois prepares to meet USC in
the Rose Bowl. SUPINIE. Champaign. Illinois sports and Big Ten. Moving this evening.

TURNER WATCHING: Sidebar. Former Illinois coach Ron Turner, who guided Illinois to
its only Big Ten title since 1990, is watching the Illini from afar. The Bears
offensive coordinator keeps up with his former team, and he takes pride in the
players he left behind. SUPINIE. Champaign. Illinois sports and Big Ten. Moving this
evening.